saiisiiiiiiBlBBBBsiiassiiisBsiiiBisaasi ffatfn MullEttn 1 JOHN H. OBERLY, PUBLISHER. CAIRO, ILLINOIS. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1872. THE BULLETIN. SELECTED STORY. A DEAD-LOCK, AND ITS KEY. "A noto for to, ma'am. No an awcr." I was resting in my own room, alter riding it was nix o'clock, too early to drees for dinner, too late to dress twice niter taking off my habit sleep ing over a book, and comfortable in my white dressing-gown. I was bored by tho interruption. 'J he note was no more than this : "Deau Sai.kf.n, 1 must stay where I am, and you must go by yourself to the Lesters' you wont mind. 1 haw Jack, and he said there was no party, as it would be troublesome, with the wedding to-morrow, aud the diuing room is given up to the breakfast. I've tent back the brougham. Thiuc, Fkkd." Fred is my brother, and was invited, like myself, to dine quietly with then; Lester, whose pretty daughter was to be married next day to a friend of ours specially Fred's and mine .Sir John March, commonly called ".rack." "What keeps Fred?" was my pass ing thought; then I read a little lon ger, dressed, and drove to 1'ortman Square. As I turned the corner, J saw visible preparations aud signs of the morrow s wedding at the Lcstcrs' door. A cart with flowers was unloading; an nwntner wait Vif!nr nut un nvpr tint linl. . ion cony and hall door: men in white bclpcd on the floor on its side. His face I could not see; but I knew it was Jack .March, aud I touched his arm in won der. "Jack, arc you awake? Are you asleep? What is it?" I asked, with growing alarm. Was I to find some thing strange in every room I entered n this house I "Jack! I said, again. r- i .1 1 T t i He turned, and I Bawhis wild, haggard face, that looked at me with vague eyes, that seemed not to sec; and theu he put his head down with a moan, and covered his cars once more, as if to shut out sight and sound. The room felt darker and chiller for this silent figure; nnd the gaunt old armoire seemed bigger, and more oppressive. I ran out ol the room in a sort of panic Up stairs, the drawing-room door stood open. The glow of the sunset was over tho room, bright with flowers and pic tures; nnd the open windows showed tho balconies lined with red cloth, and ready for the guests next day. Silence here, and silent figures, two of them one crouched upon the floor, with arms outstretched upon a sofa: another ly ing half across an ottoman the bride's mother and sister. As I caino in and spoke, now fairly bewildered and fright encd, Mrs. Lester rose up with a des pairing wail. "Saleen, Saleen I" She stood shak ing and crying out my name. 'Dear Mrs. Lester," I said, taking tho poor woman's cold hands, "come nnd sit down and tell me what has hap pened. Kate!" I called to the girl on tho floor, "come and give me thatcush- bhc camo mechanically, and her mother to the arm-chair. him, trying to speak quietly. "The key, Sir. yuiclc tor uods sane i "Key I What what's all this? Good God Sir" seizing a servant by the. collar, and flinging him to one side, like a cat "do you know what you're doing, meddling with that cabi net? Why, it's worth thousands I God bless mo I what docs all this mean ?" Ho was purple with anger. "Don t stand staring. Sarah Heriot," ho thun dered, "you aro not a fool. Be good enough to explain this this " I went un to him sick with horror. "The key is wanted,'' i managed 10 say. 'Thorn la nmp ntlA iflgille dvintf." nrnn emtio nnd went. As the brum?- I "Now tell me, if you can" Hut Mrs ham drew un I could thrnuL'h the Lester's head had fallen back open door the bustle and I could see through the stir within. At homo in the house, I opened the dining-room door to see what progress was befog made with the tables. Sev eral maid-servants and some oi'the con fectioner's meu were arranging the or naments and flowers; the cake, with its conventional erection, stood con spicious. My friend's maid was put ting mo.s into the flower-baskets, and decorating the high dishes containing the more durable part of the feast, upon the cushion, and she had fainted. The girl roused herself. "No wonder," Bhe said; "she has eaten nothing all day, and then all this. It's too awful, Saleen. I shall go mad if I think; and papa has never come back 1" "Where is your father?'' "1 don t know, the club and to the fiud him. Aud we've searched his room, and it's not there. It's nowhere. and we "Well, Barker," I was beginning, when And Jack is nearly wild ; I caught the woman's eyes. She was daren't break it open." doing her work with a strange gravity, and her face was full of horror and pain. When she saw me, she let fall the flowers in her hand. "Oh, ma'am! oh, Mis Sarah! you've come." "Of course I've come," I answered. "What is the matter?" r t r t . "It: What, child Cant you say what you are talking about ? shall go mad next. Whnt can't you find ? And what ails you all ?" Saleen, its Marv. .Mary is in ying "Some one dying in there! Who? What I Who is it, girl?" He shook me by the shoulder till I winced with pain "Oh, the key, the key! Never mind anything else, Sir. Only open it quick, and lose no more time.1' He looked sharply round., Mrs. Lester aud Kate were standing at the door, with their terrified, miserable fa ces, lie took in the rest or us witn a glance. "Where's Marv ?" ho said, suddenly. No one spoke. "Why the devil don't vou answer me? Who is shut in there? How could any one be here? Trash 1" But his face was growing ashy gray, and his lips whitened as he spoke. "An, my God ! I never shut the door I It is not Man, not my girl that i He pointed with a shaking band to the heavy door. "And I haven't the key!" He made one rush into the street. The servants standing about were swept right and left, as ho tore pant , iL ' .1 f I 1 C. .!... XI..l I ilium uuwu vsreuaru oux-ei niiu irxiuru ford Street. They could see the hat less, fleeing figure disappearing in the distance. Mrs. Lester came into the hall. The doctor and others were busy about poor Jack Marsh, who lay ou the dining room sofa, with closed eyes, happily unconscious. The timid mistress of I the house stood by the staircase, her We sent down to 'acei ner voice, her whole appearance Houic thev can't ' changed and aged in the last hour. "lie has gone lor tnc key ; nc can t be back, she said, speaking like a woman in a dream, "not for a half an hour." She looked round stupidly and smiled. "He will kill me. you know ; but the cabinet thall be broken open broken to pieces ! Never mind, fancy to be waiting for the key!" she langcd. ".Break it down, I tell you ! MISCELLANEOUS BEARDS. THE FASHIONS OP THE IIAIH OP MEN'S FACES. THE "SAPIENT BEARDS" OP OUR FOREFATHERS. "You haven't seen them, ma'am, have you ?" "Seen who? the ladies? No; there, and the key is gone, aud papa is 1 give the order. Do you hear me ?" . . ....1 . i,'., .; ...er . I .. ..... m. isdy ing ;" and the girl flung herself on the floor with wild sobs and tears. Mrs. Leslie lay forgotten iu her swoou ; I Kate rolled in unavailing misery on stairs, i ue I knew the carpet. I fled down came straight in here to look at the ta bles. Is there anything wrong? I t servants were as busy as ever suppose we re to diuc in the library tor it all. VWav 7 jfow jce it all looks !" VNice !" Oh, ma'am it's awful ! To aeo it all, and to go ou as if a if O Lord 1" and the woman sat down, and rocked herself to and fro, with the tears running down her face, I was thoroughly alarmed now. "Barker, it there anything wrong ? Is any one ill or dead ? Don't frighten me like this. I'll go and see them if you don't speak out," and I went to the ( man was standing door. I just saw that Barker had des- "Come here," I said cended to the floor, and that her head was on the chair, which she clutched, sobbing aloud. I met the butler aud another man crossing the hall, both with scared, sol emn faces, and went ou to the morning room, on the same floor. There all looked much as usual. The pride of the house and of my frienda' rather valuable collection of antiquities stood facing the door a huge cabiuet, with massive clamped doors, and richly cut brasswork ciVe as only genuine brass-work of old time can be ; curious ly inlaid wood-work ; marvelous locks which uo one but the owner understood, and no one else dared meddle with. It was a very old friend, the great nrmot re; playing with the children of the house in my own childhood, I knew it, inside and outside, by heart. A mystery and a wonder then an interest later al wavs a thing to admire and wonder at even now. It had three doors. The ceutre one, . .about four feet wide, and certainly six inches thick, shut iu another, which again inclosed, with a space of eight in ches of waste room, a set of six draw ers, of different sizes, aud a sort of cupboard abovo them. We used to stand as littlo children bctweou the drawers and the inner door, and won der, supposing we were shut in, whether wo could breathe long in that narrow inclosuro, or be heard by any one without, supposing awful thought! wo wero forgotten, or the outer door were shut. I remember thinking' of it in bed at night, an ner vous ohlldreu will think or such things till I was cold with horror. Both these two doors shut with a catch which was not a lock ; but wo childron wore for bidden ever to open or shut them, ex cept when Mr. Lester was present. It was doubtful if auy ono else knew how to open thorn, for no one ever tried. The two sido doors opened with curious keys, which stood iu tho locks, chained to the armoire. They wore valuables in themselves. The great key of tho centre door, worth a hundred pounds or more, was considered too sacred for common eyes, and lay iu a volvct-liiiod caso in Mr. Lester's own keeping brought out only occasionally to show to those who cnuld appreciate such things. It stood there in the summer twi light, looming darkly in the quiet room darker than the rest of tho nouso ; as back-rooms in. London often are. Chilly, it seemed to mo, in my thin white dress, coming from tho hall full of sunset light. Turning to leave tho room, I saw a man lying prone on his face upon the tola; so still and so straight and so strange in his attitude that! could only stare for a miuute, nnd wonder whether bo was asleep or "Good God !" I said to the butler, who was carrying in a tray of glass, "r you going on with all this useful folly, and that girl dying in the next room? Is uo one going to try to save her?" Davis stood still aud looked at me pityingly; he shook his head sadly, l and went on. I rushed into the street: a police- near the carts. "You" to another man "go and get a blacksmith. Run for your life ! I Tell them to bring tools to open locks and unscrew everything, ltun ! And you get a hatchet ; get anything: come . and break open tho great cabinet." I gasped to the servant, who came to see I what it all meant : "Don't lose a mo I mcut. "Oh, break it down 1" I , screamed at last ; "break it with the hatchet. What does auything mat ter, but her lilc her hie ! "Her life 1" said some strange voice close to me, and there stood Jack March, swaying like a drunken mau, with scared eyes and wild hair. Was his reason gone or going? "Don't !" he shouted to a workman who was lifting the hatchet to break in tho door. "Not up there. Ilcrhead." And then ho stooped his ear to the key hole, listened intently a minute, raised his head as it to demand silence, and, the intelligence fading out of his face, ho roso with a discordant laugh aud walked away. "Bah!" he said: "her life against Lesters cabinet her life against it key." Wo did not even look round to sec whero he went stumbling through the hall, where he fell iu a fit upon the floor, I never kuew till afterward how it had all happened ; how her father, only an hour or so earlier, exhibiting his wonderful cabinet to a connoisseur in such matters, had gone up stairs with his friend to show the key ho prized so much, leaving the cabinet door open, intonding to return ; how Mary and the children, a younger brother aud sister, had como in; and how the unusual sight of the open door had attracted them ; how she looked in, and told the little ones alio had not stood insido it "so" sincosho was as little as they were, and laughing, tried to stand in tho old place, "I am not too big oven now, am 1 ?" she said ; and the chil dren rau to see, and pushing the doors against her, the spring caught, and shut her iu with death and suffocation ; while they went shouting to tho others that sister Mary was "in thero shut up," and they "couldn't let her out." No. thev could not let her out. Mr. Lester and his friend had gone off with the key, to show it to some ono who had doubted its date so it ap peared from ono of tho boys who now ,camo in. He had beard them talking on iuu ttiairs as tnoy went out. "Tin fUlid ! I.Tflvuia Ln.,.u Three telling blows. The room sud denly darker, a chill sough of wind from the window, and the door swung to with a bang. hvery one looked round. A growl of distant thunder, and a faint flash of lightning accounted for it next moment. More blows, and a long ominous roll, and the lightning playing across the great Armoire : then an avalanche of rain and hail all strange and incongruous on this fine evening. The room was nearly dark. One of the men spoke : "Is there step-ladder in the house t it was brought. "I'll try the top, with your leave, ma am. Ah, it 1 had a light now I He was given a taper from the library tabic, "liilr to his companion "look here ; hold tho light, and keep a hand on the side." He lifted the hatchet, and gave a swinging blow another an awful clap of thunder, and the next flash showed every white face to the other. Quick steps iu the hall, and the door flung wide ; a wild, wet figure threw the key among us, and fell in a heap on the floor. Mrs. Lester took up the key, tumbled with the lock. let it fall with a shriek. Barker caught it from her, put it in, and turned it. "Open it," she whispered to one of the men ; "can't." She turned away, sick with dread. It was opened, show ing nothing but the terrible inner door, whose spring was only known to the master, lying senseless on tho floor. "Take off more here," one of the men shouted ; "it will give air till the door's got open." Good thought. They worked savagely. Mrs. Lester was on her knees by her husband. "Ob, get brandy ! Get him to speak 1 He could tell us how 1" They did what they could. "Wil liam ! Oh, speak to me ! How I can open it, the spring the inner door?" Kate sprung forward. "I know! I know I Strike on the floor at the foot of the inner door ! Oh, I remomber, it was there I" Davis felt with his hand all along the polished surface of the lowest shelf. "Here, press here ; givo mo a hammer." He felt a slight rise, and etruck gradually around tho spot Kute showed him. A deafening clap of thunder, aud a flash, blinding us for a moment, and then camo a creak, drowned in tho awful thunder. "It's open," said one of the men. Kate slid to the floor, twisting my dress about her head. Davis turned from tho door. "I 'Ho said : 'Jarvis kuows nothing about it ; he has never seou it,' " said tho boy, sobbing, "I hoard him. I know ho said Jarvis." "That will be Colonel Jarvis, in Charles Street, ma'am," said Davis. "Maybe, if wo sent there " There were voices outaido, and Bar ker looked in with a, white face of horror. daren't look," ho said. Do you," to the carpenters man. "Open itgcutly." .Barker stretched forward, turned round, tried to say something, aud burst out crying. "I can't soe," said the man, with n strange, thick voice. "Bring tho light somo ono." For ten awful seconds there was silouco iu tho dim rooui, then a cry aud a heavy fall. "Saleen, said a voice close to me, "do vou know it's a quarter past seven, and you are duo at the Lesters' at halt past ; aud not even dressed ? Hero's your book taiien uown. I had been asleep over an hour. If I felt like a conspirator at tho Lesters1 pleasant dinner, it is not sur prisiug,' but I did not mention my dream. BfirThe harvest in Frauce this year will be the most abundant known for a long time. It is estimated at 00,225, 000 bushels, and exceeds, at that tKrom Leisure Hoiirs.l Few fashions have been so capricious an thoso connected wuu tne nair oi men's faces, and if we look back for several ages, we shall find that the cus tom ot shaving has continually Deen in troduced, and as frequently discontin ued. Alexander the Great, before an engagement, commanded Parmenio to have all his soldiers shaved, and gave as his reason that a long beard affords a handle for the enemy. We suppose that tho old Normaus had the same" view of the convenience of a beard, for they shaved close, and deceived their enemies. Harold's spies reported that WilliamthelConqucrer's'army was com posed not of soldiers, but of priests. After the conquest, however, when the Normans settled in England, they be gan to wear beards, and, in order to make a distinction between them, or ders were given that the English should shave. Ifwelookat the por traits of our kings, we shall find that each of them adopted a special fashion of his own. Henry I wore a beard trimmed round, and Bichard Coeur de Lion a short beard. Henry III shaved, but his son, Edward I, wore a curled beard. There is a touching story of Edward II, in his misery, which illus trates our subject. When be was at Carnarvon Maltravers ordered the king to be shaved with dirty cold water, at which he burst into tears and ex claimed: "Here at last is warm water on my cheek, whether you will or no." Ldward ill wore a noble beard but Bichard the Second's was short. Dur ing tho fourteenth century close shav ing became prevalent with young men, and the old men wore forked beards, as Chaucer describes the merchant: "A merchant was there with forked beard." Henry IV wore a beard, but Henry V, Henry VI, and Edward VII, all shaved. Heury VIII shaved until he heard that Francis I, of France, wore a beard, and then he allowed his to grow. Francis did not approve of all his subjects wearing nature's cov ering for. the face, and he therefore ob tained from the Pope a brief by which all the ecclesiastics throughout France were compelled to shave or pay a large sum. Bishops and richly beneficed clergy paid the fine, but the poor priests were forced to comply with the require ments of the law. Some men have been so proud of their beards that they have taken their loss greatly to heart. Duprat, son of the celebrated Chancel lor Legate possessed a very fine beard. He distinquished himself at the Coun cil of Trent, and was soon after ap pointed to the bishopric of Clermont. On Easter Sunday he appeared at his cathedral, but to his dismay he found three dignitaries of his chapter waiting to receive him, with razors, scissors, I and the statutes of the church in their bauds. He argued without avail, and to save his beard he fled and aban doned his bishopric. A few days af terward he died of grief. When Philip V of Spain gave orders for the abolition of beards throughout his kingdom, many a brave Spaniard felt the priva tion keeuly, and said : "Since we have lost our beards we seem to have lost our souls." Sir Thomas Moore thought of his beard at the time of his execution and moved it out of the way of the head-man's axe. The plays, poems and treatises of the reigns, of Elizabeth, James I and Charles II, are full of amusing allu sions to the varieties of fashions in beards. We learn from them, what were the various styles adopted by the dif ferent wearers, as the French, npanisn, Dutch and Italian cuts, the new, old, gentlemen's, common, court and coun try cuts. Stubbs, in his "Anatomic of Abuses," says that the barber will ask "whether you will bo cut too look ter rible to your, enemy or amiable to your friend; grim and stern iu countenance, or pleasant and demure." The worthy old clergyman. William Harrison, to whom we owe our chief knowledge of mo state or mis country, in me six teenth century, gives the following ac count of the varieties of beards in his description of England: "Some are 1 l V il. 41 1 snaven irom mo emu use inosc oi Turks, not a few out short like the beard of tho Marquis Otto, some made round like a rubbing brush, others with apiquo devant (oh, fine fashion !") or now aud then suffered to grow long, the barbers being growen to bo cun ning in this behalf as the tailors. And, therefore, if a man have a leane and stroight face, a Marquesse Otton'a cut will make it broad and large ; if it bo platter-like, a long, slender beard will make it seem the narrower ; if ho bo wesselbeoked, then much bare left on tho cheekea will make the owner look bit; like a bowellod hen, and so grim as a goose ; if Gronelis Cholmercsford sais true inauio old men woaro no beards at all." Al) of this care of and attending to the personal appearance took up much time, and many of tho religious writers complain of the time wasted iu the trimming of beards. The once celo brated Mrs. Elizabeth Thomas, in des cribjug the habits of her .grandfather, who was a Turkey merchant, says that his valet was some hours evory morn ing in starching his beard and curling his whiskers, one adds tnat a com panion read to him during .the time upon Bomo useful subject. If what Ifutton tolls us iu his "Follies Anato mie ( lbl'J) was true, tne morning s dressing could not have been, sufficient 10 Keep lue uearu m pruper trim ; "With whatgrace, bold, ac tor-like he ipeaVn, Having his bearC nreclselv cut 1' th' Desks : How neat's mouuacbious do, at 'a distance The latter takes up tho cause of beards in a very trenchant style. He aiks: "Pray, Andrew, did not Adam possess a beard? and, if he did, who shaved him?" And "didn't tho Apostles have beards?" Therefore, wo should imitate Sampson, and thousands of old philos phcrs who would not shave. Matthew Green wrote the following impromptu j in answer to a lady who inquired why beards were not worn as in tormer times : "To linwh the check of ladles fair With genuine charms o'crsprcad, Their aplent beards wlthmlcle care Our wlc forefathers led. " But since our modern ladles take Such palm to paint their face, What havoc would such brushes make Among the loves and grace." Fortuuately. the same reason cannot bo given now, because our ladies do not disfigure their faces, but the general in troduction of beards and moustaches a few years ago, met with great opposi tion at first; and it is said that, in 1854, the parishioners of a country parish discontinued their attendance at church on account of the clergy taking to a beard. Now, whether wo go among rich or poor, laymen or clergy, we find beards every where, and, doubt less, the change of fashion has improved the appearance and benefitted the health of many, for we can say, with tho old ballad : "A well thatched face Is a comely grace, Aim a inciter irom tne com." GERMAN CUSTOMS OF THE OLDEN TIME. SCOLDIftG WOMEN AND HEN PECKED HUSBANDS. A curious work on "the humerous element in German law," by 0. Gicske, has just been published at Berlin. The author describes the punishments which were inflicted in various parts of Ger many, in some cases up to a very re cent period, with the object of humiliat ing the culprit and exposing him to public ridicule. A common punish ment was that of going in procession through the streets of a town or village in a dress covered with images of swords, whips, rods and other instru incuts of corporal chastisement. In Hesse .women who had beaten their husbands were made to rido backwards on a donkey, holding his tail, on which occasions the animal was led through the streets by the husband. This cus tom existed in Darmstadt up to the middle of the seventeenth century, and' was so common that a donkey was kept always ready for the purpose in the capital and neighboring villages. If the woman struck her husband in such a manner that he could not ward off the blow, the donkcv was led bv the man who had charge of him ; if not then by the husband himself. At St. Goar, a miller was allowed a certain quantity of wood from theforcst belong ing to the town, in return for which he was bound to supply a donkey to the municipality whenever required for the chastisement of a scoldiug wife. An other very old custom was that of puu ishing a henpecked husband by remov ing the roof of his house, on the grouud that "a man who allows bis wife to rule at home does not deserve any protection from wind and weather. It two wo men fought in public they were each put in a sort of closed sentry box which only left their heads exposed and then posted opposite toeach other in the market place, where they re mained face to face for an hour, butun able to use hands or feet. A common punishment for scolding women was the ' shameful stone," which was hung round their necks. This stone was usu ally in the shape of a bottle. At Ham burg, libellers and slanderers were com pelled to stand on a block and strike thomsclves three times on the mouth as a sign ot repentance. This oustom still existed thirty or forty years ago. In some towns the "shameful stone was in the shape of a loaf, whence the German saying "a heavy bit of bread" (ein schwerer Bissen Brod.) At Lu beck it was in tho sbapo of an oval dish, and in other places in that of a woman putting out her tongue, ouch stones wero usually very heavy. Accordiug to law of Dortmund and Halberstadt (1348) they were to weigh a hundred weight. Those who were wealthy could purcnase exemption irom mis punishment with a bag full of hops tied with a red ribbon. Here, then, he was before the people as a republican candidato for Governor, and was betraying that party by sup porting the know-nothing candidate for the same office. Of course, tho repub lican party thus betrayed, was defeated ; Gardiner was elected; and, upon the meeting of the legislature, a few weeks later, Wilson received 404 votes out of 408 for tho office of Senator, all tho members except four being know-nothings. There are several gentlemen in tho city of Chicago who wore members of the same order in Massachusetts, and who participated in its proceedings with Wilson ; and yet Mr. Wilson asks Germans and others to vote for him, when the following oath voluntarily ta ken by him is ou record: "In the presence of the True and 'vcr-Livinir God. and on His Sacred Scriptures, His Holy Word, I do de clare that I will truly fulfill all my ob- igations toward my brethren of the or der of know-nothings, and that I will keep sacred all the signs.Itokeiis, pass and degree words, grips, emblems, and proceedings, etc. Aud I further de clare aud solemnly swear, that I will not knowingly vote for, nppoint, or elect any person of foreign birth, or a Roman Catholic, to any office in the local or general administration of tho American government. And i turther declare aud swear that I will use all the means in my power to counteract and destroy the influence of foreigners i u n...i.i: : i, ,i,:;a nUU JhUUIUU VUlllUllia 111 ouunuio- tration of tho Government of tho Uni ted States, and in any and all parts thereof, local nnd general. To all this, a free and voluntary obligation on my part, without reservation, I prny ever to be ablo to remain truo aud steadfast, so help me God." Before taking this oatb, bo was thus warned by the presiding officer of its import: "As a member of this patriotic lodge, it will become your duty to disregard all personal interests and predilections in the service ot your country, m order that the corrupt and evil influence of foreigners may bo ellcctually combattcu and destroyed ; and here it will bo un derstood, tont of foreigners and ol Ho man Catholics are included." This is tho gentlemen who asks for eigners and the sons of foreigners to elect him Vice-President of the United States. while sick, told bis minister that ho had been "visited by Mr. Gladstone 1" " IHlrtf Gladstone ?' inquired tho rec tor. "Why," replied the sick man, "the only Mr. Gladstone. I used to sweep his crossin': nnd one day he missed me, and ho hears that I nm sick, and so comes and sees me and ho prays with nic." With such a man wo can safely trust any negotiations oratiy great question of moral right. DECLINK OF THE WHALE FISHERY. According to tho New Bedford 'Standard', as quoted in the 'American Chemist', tho whale fishery lnr 1871 was not by any means piolitablo. The prices for Oil were reduced in conse quence of tho competition of tho cotton-seed oil, lard oil, petroleum, etc., while the expense of constructing and fitting out vessels, ax well as the wages ot seamen, have considerably increased. Furthermore, the disaster of last fall to tho Arctic fleet, which destroyed nil but seven out of the forty vessels fish ing there, has been a .'erious drawback to success, especially in view of tho fact that the romniniiig seven wero obliged to leave in tho busiest season to carry the ship-wrecked crews to Honolulu. Thus there were brought iu only 3070 barrels of oil aud 27,981 pounds of whalebone, against 57,285 barrels of oil and 710, 550 pounds of whalebone obtained by tho fleet in the previous year. The decline iu this business is shown by the fact (hat while iu 1852 the arc tic fleet consisted of 278 vessels, iu 1871 there were but forty vessels, seven oi which only, as already stated, es caped destruction. Tho. whaling fleet of Hudson Bay and Cumberland Inlet consisted of nine vessel, while there were scattering vessels in other parts of the ocean. The total catch of tho year was about 41,000 barrels of sperm-oil, 70,000 barrels of wltalcoil, and 504, 811 pounds of whalebone. In all there wero 2211 vesels engaged in the fishery, of which 144 belonging to New Bedford. It is estimated that nuly about 1!!2 vessels will be employed in 1872. TWO CHRISTIAN MEN IN ENG LISH HIGn LIFE. The first of whom we mention is one of Great Britaiu's noble jurists A correspondent of an exchange de scribes hi in : Sir Roundcll Palmer, the counsel for England before the Geneva Board of Arbitration, is as remarkable for his piety as for his eminent legal at tainments, ftotwsthstanding his im mense professional business, ho found time to compile and publish a book of psalms, which, from tho beauty aud fitness of its selection, has becomo fa. vorably known and appreciated by ev ery household of the faith of the Church ofEngland. Besides, this he conducts a liible class iu his parish Church, aud in his school-room he is to be found morning after morning, bo fore he goes down to Winchester Hall to take part iu the trial of some of the most important causes that are heard in the English courts. Tho calm and consistent piety of Sir Roundell Palmer has imparted sincerity and earnestness to bis char acter. There is said to bo soraethiug in his manner, as he makes his argu ment, that impresses the hearer with tho conviction that ho is performing a high moral duty, and enforcing right and justice in the advocacy of his cause. This is all the more effective because his whole life seems to bo controlled by his deep and earnest piety, to which he subordinates professional ambition and success. He is to-day the most eminent lawyer of Great Britain ; and, great as are his intellectual attain ments, ho is highly esteemed by the Christian people of England for his excellent heart and fervent piety. His life, which has been eminently laborious and successful, well illustrates tho power which a truly religious man has to engage in Christian iabor oven amid tho most pressing business en- A VENERABLE MALLET. Some doubt is entertained ai to whether the mallet which was used re cently by tho English Princess Mary iu laying the foundation stono of the Kingston church schools was used by air Lhristopiier vrcn, as alleged, in laying tho foundation stono of St Paul's Cathedral. The mallet itself bears the following inscription on a sil ver plate : "By order of the M. W. the Grand Master his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, Sc.. Sc., and W. Mas ter of the Lodge of Antiquity, nnd with tho concurrence of tho brethren of the Lodge, this plate has been engraved and effixed to this mallet, A. i, 5831, A. U.18 17, to commcmerate that this be ing tho saroo mallet with which his Majesty King Charles II. levelled the foundation stone oi'St. Pauls Cathedral 5G77, A. D. 11)711, was presented to the old lodge of St. Paul's now tho Lodge of Antiquity, acting by immemorial constitution, by brother Sir Christo pher Wren, R. 'W. D. G. M., Worship ful Master of this Lodge, and architect of that cathedral." It is not disputed that this is tho identical mallet used on the occasion of laying the foundation stone of St Paul's, nor is it denied that it was subsequently in tho possession of Sir Christopher Wron. Tho ouly ques tiou is whether the mallet was used by the architect himself, as stated by Deau Milman in his "Annal i of St. Paul's," or whether tho stono was laid or "lev elled" by Charles 1 1., as alleged by the Jjodgo ot Antiqnity in tho above quoted inscription. MARRYING FRENCH NOBLE MEN. In a Paris letter wo find a few hints which will not be very pleasant to young American ladies who go abroad, if not with tho iutentiou to hunt, at least to accept, a French nobleman, should ono offer himself. By the writer it is laid dowu as n pretty sure rule that "Fronehmcu who sigh at the feet of American heiresses aro the refuse of the homo markets :" for French moth ers are noted for being good match- gagements. Probably no other man makers, where their daughters are con MR. BIRD'S LETTER. Some over-zealous friend of Senator Wilson wrote to a committee of Ger mans, in New York, a letter to which he attached tho senator's name, iu which ho made Wilsou deny that he had ever been a member of the know nothing party, and that he had ever voted with it ; it made him say, also, that ho had always opposed that pirty. Senator Wilson has since branded this letter ns a forgery. He could hardly do less, as the fact of his membership is too well known to thousands of per sons in all parts of the country. But, beforo Wilson's denial of the letter was made publio, Mr. Frank W. Bird, of Boston, whoso character is abovo ques tion, aud who has been an able leader in Massachusetts politics for years, ad dressed Henry Wilson, through the pa pers, the letter which wo print this morning, No ono can any longer have auy doubt of Henry Wilson's membership in that party. It appears that Henry Wilson, in 1854, was nom inated by' the republican convention for Uovernor ot Massachusetts; that subse quently ho applied to a know-nothing lodge, in Natick, and was rejected, there being a rule of the order that no man should be admitted to membership who was a candidate for office, and not nominated by the order. He then ap plied to another lodge, in Bostou, and was admiMi. W application having been forwarded to the Grand Council, which granted a dispensation, he agreer ing to support tne xnow-noining eauui in England is more occupied than Sir Roundell Palmer. At tho head of the English bar, with retainers yielding him an income of mauy thousaud pounds a year, and engaged in the most difficult and important causes, he yot finds time to teach a Bible class, and to compile and publish books to increase the religious devotion ot his couutrymeu. Such a lifo is an exam ple worthy of emulation ; and tho youth of all lunds should see, in the light of the dignity, piety, and success of this emineut English lawyer, that tho path to honor and famo is not through the wild and sterilo way of skepticism or indifferenco to the pro fouudest truths that affect humanity, but that religion and worldly honor go hand in hand, even in this materialistic age. And thoso who affect to believe that amid the pressing cares of business they have no tinio to devote to great moral reforms, political progress, or the claims of pcrsouai religion, may also see in tho light of thi illustrious example how easy it is to blend all these together in ono harmonious and consis tent lifo. Tho second ease is that of England s Premier. Dr. Cuyler, after visitiug him. thus writes in the 'Observer :' Ho receives bis guests with much of the affable dignity ot Dauiol Webster. I wish that I daro report the noblo ut terances of tho great statesman during his conversation ou the unhappy con troversy now raging between tne two nations. It was not only the utterance of a true statesman, but of a true Chris tian. I havo had the good fortune to convene freely with some,of the most eminent men of Britain and. America ) but no one' of them ever bo impressed' cerncd, audlsccuro the dcsirablo sous-in laws for themselves. Thero is a set of marrvinc vonnc Frenchmen in Paris. who have more debts than money" and more title than honor, who have been known to go so fur in, their hunt after a rich wife that they havo had spies posted at different pensidnt to watch for American families with marriageable daughters. And a case has been lately 1 1 lunlritifwl rr lui cnfflnjl In I mar iti ."WUlV IU WU PVkVlbU J J 1 1 IT i III which tho lover had agreed with the iHoitrcsse de ptntloU, tO Fccuro tho as sistance of tliat convenient person, to pay a cortaiu per' eeutage on his wifo's fortune. After the marriago the bus band was disposed to forget his prom isc,butwas reminded by law to keep it. All 'of which must have been very pleasant to tho wife. THE SWORD OF WALLACE. The Countess of Loudoun and .Mr. Hastings, with Lady Flora Hastings, have arrived at Kilmarnock from Eng land, ou their way to Louudon Castle. Tho countess, wbo (says tho Glasgqw JIvrahT) is always' welcome iu this neighborhood, was doubly so ou this oceusion, as her ladyship brought with w.n ...... utir irum -cms1'1 m .? k..vv. This sword has been preserved, iu Lou doun Casfle from tho death of Wallace until flvo years ba'cki whou' it was re moved by the late Mainjuis of Hastings to his seat iu Leicestershire. On the death of tho marquis ju 1308 it passed into the possession of the present coun tess, who has just brought" it back to its old how. It will.-.U remenbered that the, mother pJyfajUaco waft daughter of Loudoun! and that on tbe death oi Mi uabli'J'SIiflleiHnsId Crtf Ibrdjipf LoadwiH (haared by in 81 GATH1 WHI Twenty ot good sol bushes rd and barber after, as Ol the suuiina cut, aud I obscrvo thJ cut at difj formly tho I when they I ot August I were most. proceeding! killed by and the bl large growl never sec stump or I blackberry ieate with! aud aro nd cut lato in time. I al tioncd is tl by cutting! bo more en iagu drop plant is grl make a ni Country CHEF. Tho lasi diet is a rl Here, agai need nouttl up, tne uul soluto BCC ners aro la member, ursi. ten l VUV u strong- titular, i iciiccd fnej after thaM 'PR1 fowlM they canul in a yard ; The Serf i ' large i four, .or J U often i iDgChllJfJ ketftkVp'al becttl haff-Mi